Plant Me Instead

What to do after removing non-native and invasive species

Now that you’ve removed non-native or invasive species from your cottage lot you may be wondering what to do next.  Ideally these areas will be left to naturalize on their own and would grow to reflect a plant community just like that in the Algonquin Provincial Park forest next to your lot.  This provides habitat and food for other native Algonquin species and ensures that non-local varieties of species found in Algonquin Park are not introduced.  For example, think about how different the growing conditions are for Red Trilliums (Trillium erectum) in Niagara compared to Algonquin. 

Revegetation of areas where non-native plants have been removed can be helped by covering them with material raked from your cottage lot like leaves and needles.  This type of leaf litter material will contain the macroscopic ingredients (like fungi and bacteria) to help former garden beds return to native Algonquin Provincial Park species.  Plus what naturally seeds in will be uniquely adapted to Algonquin’s climate and ecosystems.

If you feel very strongly about maintaining flower beds, then you can consider either sourcing local, native plants from nurseries or transplanting from other areas of your cottage lot. 

Purchasing Native Plants

Some native plant species may be found at reputable nurseries.  Native plants are beautiful and good for local insect populations.  Below is a short list of native species that you are likely to encounter at a nursery.  These could be planted in gardens and flower beds.  Take this list with you to the nursery.  You will need to take due diligence to ensure you have purchased a species native to Algonquin.  The seed source location is also very important.  Seed sources should be local to within 100km of Algonquin Provincial Park.  Be sure to ask about seed source locations as reputable nurseries will be able to tell you where the seed was collected.  Here is a list of nurseries where species native to Algonquin Provincial Park can be purchased. 

Hidden Habitat Ecological Landscapes http://www.hiddenhabitat.ca/
Muskoka Conservancy  https://muskokaconservancy.org/shop/category/native-plant-sale/
Lake of Bays Garden Centre https://www.lakeofbaysgardencentre.com/
*More nurseries that can provide native species from local seeds may be added as they become available and we are made aware of them.

Transplanting

Transplanting native species within Algonquin Provincial Park requires Superintendent approval.  If  you wish to transplant, please contact the cottage lot program directly.  This approval would only allow you to move plants from one area of your cottage lot to another area of your cottage lot.  It would also include other conditions such as how many plants can be moved. For example, Canada Mayflower could be transplanted from one area of your cottage lot to a flower bed.  Transplanting is best done in spring and fall.  Transplanting ensures that varieties of the plants you choose are local and adapted to the growing conditions in Algonquin. 

By replacing non-native and potentially invasive species with native ones, you’re supporting the maintenance of Algonquin’s ecosystems, as well as enjoying the beauty and benefit of species that naturally occur here.

Plant List
* indicates species that will form groundcover

Shady Locations

Flowers and Ferns
- Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis)
- Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)*
- Starflower (Trientalis borealis)
- Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)*
- False Solomon’s-seal (Maianthemum racemosum)
- Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)*
- Red Trillium (Trillium erectum)
- Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia)*
- Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)*
- Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
- New York Fern (Thelypteris palustris)*

Grasses and Sedges
- Drooping Woodreed (Cinna latifolia)
- Dewey’s Sedge (Carex deweyana)*

Trees and Shrubs
- Alternate-leaved Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
- Bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)
- Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana)
- Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
- White Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Sunny Locations

Flowers
- Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)*
- Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
- Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Large-leaved Aster (Eurybia macrophylla)*
- Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)
- Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
- Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium)

Grasses and Sedges
- Poverty Oat Grass (Danthonia spicata)

Trees and Shrubs
- Low Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
- Dwarf Raspberry (Rubus pubescens
- Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta)
- Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)
- Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)